I'm standing in Council Chamber at Edmonton City Hall and I don't think I've ever seen it this packed. Over 700 Edmontonians (many whom are supporters of the Greater Edmonton Alliance) have shown up to talk food security at City Council's Municipal Development Plan public hearings. This is citizenship in action.
Here are the four key amendments being discussed at the public hearing:
- Integrate local food system impact into all decisions about converting farmland.I'll have photos up soon.
- Ensure access to local food through a secure land supply and city-wide approaches
- Develop an agricultural areas plan, including inventory of all farmland
- Champion a food security plan by the Capital Region Board.
Watch the public hearing live online.
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3 comments:
Umm, so the issue they decide to go with for their environmental push is food security?
What about higher density in new development? Mandated high density zones around LRT stations? An end to NIMBY opposition to secondary suites? You can do all these things in a MDP.
No, never, because I want the right to know that my over priced organic rubbarb is grown within city limits! Plus I want government subsidy to provide it to me more cheaply due to planning protecting land that would otherwise not be protected. It isn't like we have a food problem in Alberta, and anyone that wants to buy local food, or organic food can buy it and pay market price for it.
I think if someone actually tried to live on a 100 mile diet in Edmonton they would be suffering from lack of vitamins pretty fast.
I know city activism is great, but this shows how crazy ideas can take over groups whose original purpose may have been more logical.
I agree with Kyle (and have my own issues about local food too).
Were they really all there to talk about local food? Or were there other interesting elements of the MDP being discussed? (I suppose I could check the city council website, but you're so much smarter, Dave).
I was there for some of the presentations. Impressive ability to draw a crowd. Now the challenge is to get a practical public policy passed.
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